Hopper construction and door latching mechanism therefor



G. B. DOREY Oct. 11, 1955 HOPPER CONSTRUCTION AND DOOR LATCHING MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Aug. 16 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR. fea yefi 27mg HOPPER CONSTRUCTION AND DOOR LATCHING MECHANISM THEREFOR Oct. 11, 1955 Filed Aug. 16, 1950 l WM Oct. 11, 1955 a. B. DOREY 2,720,174

HOPPER CONSTRUCTION AND DOOR LATCHING MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Aug. 16, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR Oct. 11, 1955 G. B. DOREY HOPPER CONSTRUCTION AND DOOR LATCHING MECHANISM THEREFOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 16 1950 United States Patent HOPPER CONSTRUCTION AND DOOR LATCHING MECHANISM THEREFOR 9 Claims. (Cl. 105-308) This invention relates to an improved latching mechanism for the swinging doors of railway car hopper discharge openings and the like.

The objects of the invention among others are: To provide a bodily movable latch element for engagement with keeper means carried by the hopper and so arranged that the latch element in its released position will be moved away from the swinging edge of the door toward the hinged edge thereof until such time as a door lifting operation is completed; to provide a door latching element having means for retaining the same in either latching or non-latching position; to construct the latching mechanism so that it performs a door lifting function; to provide for a coordinating means whereby a latch element will gravitate to latching position upon a predetermined extent of door lifting movement; and to provide mechanism for automatically latching a swinging door in closed position and also for moving the same bodily along the face of a door opening.

Other objects of this invention will, in part, be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of this invention, reference can be had to the following detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawings in which the improvements of the present invention are illustrated as applied to the discharge opening of a railway hopper car having a pivoted door with a limited degree of bodily movement and wherein:

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional, elevational view showing approximately one-half of the lower portion of a hopper car having the improvement of the present invention applied thereto, the door being shown in open position;

Figure 2 is a vertical side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 1 as viewed from left to right;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 33 of Figure 1 with the exception that the door is shown as having been swung to the closed position but with the door resting in its lowermost position of bodily movement;

Figure 4 is a view, similar to Figure 2, illustrating the bodily movable latching shaft in its extreme position of release with the axis of the shaft past dead center in toggle locking relation and the operating head in con tact with one of the keepers carried by the hopper;

Figure 5 is a view, similar to Figure 4, illustrating the parts in position with the togglejoint broken and the shaft moving into latching position under the influence of gravity with respect to the keepers;

Figure 6 is a view, similar to Figure 5, except that the. shaft is shown as resting upon the shank of one of the keepers for the initiation of the bodily movement of the door; and

Figure 7 is a view, similar to the preceding Figures 4, 5 and 6, except that the door is shown as fully closed and bodily moved toward the hinged axis thereof to the com- 7 pletely sealed position and with the toggle acting link mechanism in the final latched position.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the reference character 8 indicates a portion of the center sill structure, 9 the lower portion of the side wall of the car and positioned between the center sill 8 and the side Wall 9 is a discharge hopper 10 having a discharge opening 11. The hopper 10 includes a sloping bottom floor 12, inner and outer side walls indicated at 13 and 14, respectively, and an upper floor sloping in a direction oppositely to the direction in which the bottom floor 12 slopes. The edge portions of the floors and walls 12, 13, 14 and 15 thus define the discharge opening 11 with which are associated a door 16 and a frame 17, the latter extending around the floors and side Walls and the former being mounted thereon and arranged to be latched thereto.

The inner wall 13 of the hopper 16 extends downwardly substantially vertically and the outer wall 14 is inclined downwardly and inwardly thereby providing a substantially trapezoidal configuration to which the frame 17 is shaped. The frame 17 includes a lower stirrup portion comprising spaced legs indicated at 18 and 19 and a lower connecting wall section 20. The upper portion of the frame 17 is in the form of a beam member 21 preferably formed of a bulb angle section having a web 22 underlying the upper sloping floor 15 and secured thereto. The lower stirrup section of the frame is preferably of T-shaped section with a centrally disposed stem 23 outstanding therefrom. One side of the stem 23 includes a flange portion 24, Figure 3, underlying the bottom floor 12 and the side walls 13 and 14 of the hopper 10. On the other side of the stem 23 the flange portion 25 constitutes the side and bottom walls of a forwardly projecting chute-like structure which, in combination with angularly related flange 26 of the top beam member 21, constitute the four marginal walls of the discharge opening 11. Depending from the underside of the beam member 21 are hinge brackets 27 which are arranged in pairs and each is provided with aligned elongated apertures 28 for the reception of door supporting hinge pins 29. The elongated apertures 28 are used to permit bodily sliding movement of the door 16 from and to the completely sealed position.

The door 16 preferably comprises a body portion 30, Figure 3, having upwardly extending flanges 31, 32, 33 and 34 at the top, bottom, inner side and outer side, respectively, these flanges lying adjacent to and parallel with the corresponding sides of the frame 17. The door 16 is provided with hinge straps 35 which are secured thereto and each is formed adjacent the upper portion with an eye portion 36 for the reception of the hinge pin 29. The door 16 is arranged to be swung to closed position with the inner face 37, Figure 3, meeting the edge portion 38, Figure 2, of the frame 17.

In order to retain the door 16 in closed position there is provided a latching mechanism in the form of a bodily movable shaft 39 having end portions projecting beyond the sides of the door 16 for cooperating with keepers one of which is indicated at 40 for the outer side of the hopper 10 and at 41 for the inner side. Each keeper 40 and 41 includes a shank portion 42, Figure 2, and a shoulder 43 leading therefrom, the shank portion 42 having a bottoming wall 44 of arcuate shape adjacent the shouldered part 43 against which the projecting ends of the shaft 39 are arranged to react for shifting the door 16 bodily from the position shown in Figure 3 to the fully sealed position as shown in Figure 7 of the drawings.

The shaft 39 is bodily movable and rotatable in slotted guide brackets 45 and 46, respectively, located adjacent the inner and outer side edges of the door 16 and secured thereon. The mechanism whereby the shaft 39 is moved bodily and is rotated includes arms 47, Figure 1, nonrotatably mounted on the shaft 39 and links 48 which are pivoted at one end toith'e. corresponding arm 47 of the shaft 39,.as at 49 and at the opposite end to the associated guide brackets 45 and 46, as at 50, thereby pivoting these ends of the links 48 on the door 16.

Theguide brackets: 45. and. 46. are. each secured to: a

door. beam 51, extending. along. the-swinging edge'of: thedoor 16,. adjacentthesides of the door and eachlincludes a web 52 having an elongated guideway 53-in.which the ends of the. shaft: 39 are slidable: and rotatable.v At the lower. end. of. eachhracket 45. and 46. thereis. provided an integrally formedltrnnnion 54,.shown by broken lines,-

which constitutes the support for the. correspondinglink 48.

formed'witha second'trunnion 55, shoWn by brokenlines in Figure 1,, on which. a latching. dog 56. is. pivotally, mounted for engagement withztheassociatedlink 48-for' holdingit in apositionwhere. the:shaft.39 locksthe door 16' in the fully closedand sealedlposition, as will be apparent from Figure 7.. Adjacent the outer sidewall 14 of the hopper the shaft 39'is1providedwith. an. operating head 57 whichincludes-a laterally extending-crank arm 58. The crank arm. 58 isextended. lengthwise so as to be in the path oftheouter end'of. the'outer shouldered keeper 40 as illustrated more clearly in Figures 4 and 5, of the drawings.

The links 48' are formed-with an indentedarcuate shaped inner contour- 59, Figure 4, to accommodate. theshaft 39 with its longitudinal axis slightly past av straight line 60, Figure 7, joining the pivotalaxes. of the links 48: This permits the shaft 39 to assume a. locking positionpast dead center when in latching position. shaft 39 are movable in the guideways. 53. and the shaft 39 is rotatable therein through an arc of slightly inv excess of 180 in order to permit it to assume an over center locking position in the released position past the line 60 as shown-in Figure 4.

In the operation. of doorsof'the character. here described, itis customary to provide for automatic displacement of the latchby movement ofthe door. This is. usually accomplishedbythe impingement oflthe latch on an inclinedstrikersurface which has the effect of imposing a retarding influence on the upward lifting movement of' the door thus greatly hampering its. closing.

movement, especially with doors which assume an inclined closed position.- It will'b'e understood that such retardation is effective when the doors approach the closed position and at a'time-when the lifting effort of the operatoris spent.

In accordance with the present invention this disadvantage is overcome by first providing for movingthe after release of the shaft is effected to permitit to fall in: place behind the shoulders 43 of the keepers40 and. 41.. the initiation of which movement is illustrated in Figure. This isaccomplished by making provision for the 5'. shaft 39to assume an over center toggle locking position in. the. extreme released position as shown in Figure 4 and providinglfor release of the toggleby contact between the crank-arm 58 and the outer end of the-outer keeper 40 thereby causing the. releaseof the shaft 39 and -.per-

mitting, it to assume. the. successive positions illustrated in. Figures. 5- and 6. of the'drawings-on continued closing movement of the door 16. In Figured the shaft 39: is shown with the ends in engagement with the-bottoming walls 44-of the keepers 40 and 41. Here the door 16. is shown. inits lowermostclosed position. Theshaft 39 in:

moving from its positionshown in'Figure 5. to that shown inFigure. 6 is'aided by centrifugal force: applied thereto= In the case. of the outer. bracket. 46' the:web 52. is. extended outwardlmas indicated at 52' in Figure. 2, .andis:

The ends of the.

4*. resulting from the swinging movement ofthe door 16. In order to move the door 16 bodily relative to the discharge opening 11, the crank arm 58 is rotated from the position shown in Figure 6 in a counterclockwise direction to the position shown in Figure 7. This may be accomplished by applying a suitable prying bar to the crank arm 58. While the crank arm 58'is-being swung to this position, the ends of the shaft 39 hearing against the bottoming walls 44 of the keepers 40 and 41 react thereagainst to cause the bodily sliding movement of the door 16 generally upwardly as permitted by the elongated apertures 28 for the hinge pins 29 The continued movement of the crank arm 58 causes the longitudinal axisof the shaft 39 to be placed slightly to the right of the line 60 joining the pivot points 49 and 50'of the links 48; Inthis manner the shaft 39 is locked in anover center toggle position. Thereafter the latching dog 56 is swung to the position shown in Figure 7 to insure that the shaft 39 will be held in this over center position.

The present invention as described hereinbefore and shown in the drawings is particularly adapted for use with doors having a bodily movement of translation inasmuch as this system of latching not only forces-the door. 16.

tightly closed but also operates to move the door 16 bodily by reason of the engagement between the endsof-theshaft.

39 and the bottom walls 44 of the shanks 42 of the keep.- ers 40 and 41. as permitted by the elongated. apertures 28, is. of importance in connection with a door..and'door frame having cooperating sealing walls arrangedin.wedging relation. In this particular embodiment of the invention only, the outer sideof the door 16 is employed'in effecting a wedging action, there being a slight sidewisea movement. of the door 16 in relation to. the frame 17 which. movement is transversely of the length of. the car. In order to compensate for the:relative sidewise movement of the door 16 just referred to, a limited clearance-is provided thereof, it is intended that all matter. shown in; the ac companying drawings: and. described hereinbefore: shall be interpretedas illustrative. and. not in a limitingsense:

What. is claimed as new is:

swingable. in. an. inclined closedi position, means. for. re-

taining said door in closed position including keeper means carried by said hopper and anelongated 'latch memfor engaging and disengaging said keeper means, said latch member being bodily movable toward' said' hinge axis to. released position, a'nd oivercenter toggle means connected betweensaid: door: andv said latch-member for retaining said latchmember locked in its-releasedposition until said? door reaches a predetermined' position in its swinging movement toward-closed'position relative to'saidkeeper. means, and operating means carried by said' toggle means for engaging" said keeper means when said door" is. swung to closedposition'to'unlock said' toggle means whereby said latch member thereupon is'movable toengage said'keeper'means and'hold said door closed? 2.- In a hopper having-adischarge opening and a door pivotally mounted" adjacent the upper part thereofand swingable to an inclined closed position, meansfor re-- taining said door in closed positionincluding keeper means carried by said hopper and an elongated latclr'm'em I ber: carried by said d'oor parallel to' its" hinge" axis; and" bodily movable' toward and" away from'- said h'in'ge': axis Thev bodily movement of the door 16,.

1. In a hopper havinga,dischargevopeningand a door pivotally mounted adjacent the upper part thereof: and

ber carried? by said: door parallel to its hinge axis and bodily movable toward and away from saidhinge axis for engaging and disengaging said keeper means, said latch member being bodily movable toward said hinge axis to released position, overcenter toggle means connected between said door and said latch member for retaining said latch member locked in its released position until said door reaches a predetermined position in its swinging movement toward dosed position relative to said keeper means, and release means engageable with said keeper means for unlocking said latch member from its released position whereby the same thereupon is movable to engage said keeper means and hold said door closed.

3. In a hopper having a discharge opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent one side thereof, means for retaining said door in closed position including shouldered keeper means carried by said hopper and a shaft carried by said door parallel to its hinge axis and movable toward and away from said hinge axis to engage and disengage said shouldered keeper means, and toggle acting means including an arm non-rotatably mounted on said shaft and a link pivotally mounted at one end of said door and having its opposite end pivotally connected to said arm on said shaft, said toggle acting means being movable from one extreme position where the pivotal connection between said arm and link occupies an overcenter position between the longitudinal axis of said shaft and the pivot axis of said link on said door to another extreme position where said longitudinal axis of said shaft occupies an overcenter position between said pivotal connection between said arm and link and said pivot axis of said link on said door.

4. In a hopper having a discharge opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent one side thereof, means for retaining said door in closed position including shouldered keeper means carried by said hopper and an elongated latch member carried by said door parallel to its hinge axis and bodily movable toward and away from said hinge axis for engaging and disengaging the shoulder part of said keeper means, said latch member being movable by rotation and translation thereof to assume positions of rest in either of two extreme positions of movement, means for moving said latch member and retaining the same in its extreme positions of movement including a toggle joint having linkage connected to said door and to said latch member and arranged to fold and maintain said latch member in overcenter locking relation to maintain the same in one of its extreme positions and to straighten out to maintain it in overcenter relation in the other of its extreme positions, said latch member in one of its extreme positions being in engagement with said shouldered keeper means and in the other of its extreme positions lying therebeyond, and operating means carried by said movable latch member for engaging said shouldered keeper means when said door is swung to closed position to unlock said toggle joint when said latch member occupies said other extreme position.

5. In a hopper having a discharge opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent one side thereof, means for retaining said door in closed position including shouldered keeper means carried by said hopper and a shaft carried by said door parallel to its hinge axis and bodily movable toward and away from said hinge axis for engaging and disengaging the shoulder part of said keeper means, said shaft being movable by rotation and translation thereof to assume positions of rest in either of two extreme positions of movement, means for moving said shaft and retaining the same in its extreme positions of movement including a toggle joint having linkage connected to said door and to said shaft and arranged to fold and maintain said shaft in overcenter locking relation to maintain the same in one of its extreme positions and to straighten out to maintain it in overcenter relation in the other of its extreme positions, said latch member in one of its extreme positions being in engagement with said shouldered keeper means and in the other of its extreme positions lying therebeyond, and means engageable with said keeper means when said door is swung toward closed position for moving said latch member out of its last named position.

6. In a hopper having a discharge opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent one side thereof, said door being swingable to closed position to engage with said hopper and also being bodily movable along the face of said opening to a sealed position, means for retaining said door in closed position and moving the same bodily and retaining it in its bodily moved closed position including a keeper carried by the hopper at each side thereof and each formed with a shank and shoulder, and a bodily movable shaft carried by said door and arranged to have its ends engage with said keepers, said shaft being movable by rotation thereof and having a toggle mechanism near each end each including an arm non-rotatably mounted thereon and a link pivoted thereto and to said door, said shaft being movable to first engage with the shoulder of each keeper and thereafter upon continued rotation of the shaft to engage with the shank thereof and move the door bodily to seal the same to said hopper.

7. In a hopper having a discharge opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent one side thereof, means for latching said door in closed position including a shouldered keeper carried by said hopper at each side of said opening, a shaft slidably and rotatably mounted on. said door with its ends projecting beyond the sides thereof for engaging and disengaging said keepers, toggle acting means for moving said shaft including an arm extending from said shaft adjacent each end and a V-shaped toggle link pivoted at one end to each arm and at the other end to said door, said toggle acting means being movable from one extreme position where the pivotal connections between said arms and links occupy an overcenter position between the longitudinal axis of said shaft and the pivot axes of said links on said door to another extreme position where said longitudinal axis of said shaft occupies an overcenter position between said pivotal connections between said arms and links and said pivot axes of said link on said door, and operating means carried by one of said arms for engaging the corresponding shouldered keeper when said door is swung to closed position to unlock said shaft from said overcenter related position.

8. In a hopper having a discharge opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent one side thereof, means for latching said door in closed position including a shouldered keeper carried by said hopper at each side of said opening, a shaft slidably and rotatably mounted on said door with its ends projecting beyond the sides thereof for engaging said keepers when said door is closed, an arm extending from said shaft adjacent each end, a toggle link pivoted at one end to each arm and at the other end to said door and arranged to effect movement of said shaft from an over center released position away from the swinging edge of said door and toward its hinge axis to an over center locked position toward said swinging edge of said door and away from its hinge axis with said ends in engagement with the shoulders of said keepers, and an operating head fast on said shaft having a laterally projecting crank arm spaced therefrom and engageable with one of said keepers when said door is swung toward closed position for moving said shaft from said released position toward said locked position, said movement of said shaft being assisted by centrifugal force acting thereon and incident to the swinging movement of said door.

9. In a hopper having a discharge opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent one side thereof and bodily slidable with respect thereto into and out of sealed position, means for latching said door in closed and sealed position including a shouldered keeper carried by said hopper at each side of said opening, a shaft slidably and rotatably mounted on said door with its ends projecting beyond the sides thereof for engaging said keepers when said door is closed, an arm extending from said shaft adjacent each end, a toggle link pivoted at one end to each arm and at the other end to said door and arranged to hinge axiswith said ends in engagement Withtheshoulders of" said'keepers; and" an operating headfast on said shaft having'a laterally projecting Jcrank arm spaced therefrom andengageable' with one ofsaid keepers whensaiddoor'is' swungjtowardclosed' position for moving said'shaftfrom said released position toward said locked position, said movement'ofsaid shaft being assisted by centrifugal'force actingthereon and incident to the swinging movement of locked position acco'mpaii'ied by Bodily' slidable movement of sa'iddoo'r to its sealed osition;

Refetenbe'sliitdfintfie file oftfiis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

